A student
action group of the Colombo Universitys medical faculty came out
against the award winning film Thani Thatuven Piyambana (flying with one
wing) asking whether it had a promotional agenda for the tobacco industry
behind the screen.

This film
is based on a woman who tries to live like a man. This man
has to struggle against various social norms, definitions and socio-cultural
expectations of manhood and masculinity. Running parallel to the effort
of becoming a man, is a womans struggle against the social injustice,
i.e. womens freedom. Since efforts to define masculinity and womens
freedom are two key themes in the film, any claims that are made regarding
masculinity, manhood and womens freedom are invariably important.

The
film is full of scenes where smoking is glorified as a symbol of masculinity.
In several occasions cigarettes are been pushed between the lips of the
characters in a very unnatural and artificial manner. It is interesting
to notice that all characters are smoking a particular brand of cigarettes
(Gold Leaf) from the beginning to the end of the film," said a statement
issued by the Chairman of the medical facultys Students Involved
in Rational Health Action (SIRA).

We
would like to discuss two scenes from the film. In the first one the
man goes to pick up a girl who returns home late night. When he
sees the girl, he throws away the cigarette. Then the girl
asks why did you throw it away? You are so nice when you are smoking..
In the next scene, at the climax of the film, the wife of the man
clearly describes what a woman in general expects from a man. Amongst
her items in the list, with so much stress and emphasis, she says that
smoking in front of a woman is what a woman expects from a man.
the action group said.

There is
a character portraying as a doctor. This doctor offers cigarettes to all
his patients. While he examines patients always he smokes.

This film
won the award of Best Asian Film 2002 at the 15th Tokyo International
Film Festival. Also this film is an entry at this years Festival
due film Asiatique de Deauville (France) and Paris and Raindance Film
Festival  London in March and Jeonju IFF (Korea) in April, Syndney
Film Festival (Australia) in June and Calgary IFF (Germany) in October.

This film
was regarded as the most revolutionary South Asian film when it was screened
at the London International Film Festival last year. It also represented
Lanka at a number of foreign festivals including San Sebestian International
Film Festival of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Singapore International Film
festival among many other festivals.

###

We cannot
directly say that Gold Leaf paid for it as a Product Placement as there
is no proof.

Many counter
activities have been done by ADIC and many other prevention organizations
such as writing to the producer and the director of the film. At the inauguration
ceremony of this film youths had hooted at them.

The articles
which were in print media regarding this film were more pro towards the
film.

###

No product
placement - CTC

The Ceylon
Tobacco Company, the country's monopoly tax paid cigarette manufacturer
last week rejected allegations by unidentified groups that the company
had sponsored the controversial Sinhala film Thani Thatuven Piyabanna
which showed women smoking cigarettes.

The CEO,
CTC, Paul Hiltermann's statement to the press regarding the film Flying
with one Wing; " CTC in its history has never sponsored any films,
or doesn't hope to do so. We are always mindful of the way we do business
and strictly adhere to the regulations of the Voluntary Code of Conduct."

"The
recent movie has nothing to do with Ceylon Tobacco. If the producer wishes
to portray a character using tobacco products, we do not have the authority
to stop him frim doing so."

"The
enhanced voluntary code demonstrates the company's commitment to ensuring
that communication about its products is undertaken responsibility and
within the laws of the country. We will continue to ensure that such communications
are directed towards informed adult smokers only. We have and will continue
to assert our right to market tobacco products to adult smokers. This
includes communicating with adult smokers with their consent."

It is also
said that this code ensures that "reasonable measures are taken to
ensure that the promotion of tobacco products is directed at adults who
have made an informed decision to smoke."

The enhanced
voluntary code be adhered to by all employees of CTC and CTC encourages
all others who are associated with the manufacture, sale, distribution
or marketing of tobacco products to embrace the principles of the code.

The enhanced
voluntary code will cover advertising content, media usage, promotion
and events, sponsorships, packaging, sales and distribution, minors' access
and minimum age restrictions, face to face commnication practice for marketing
staff and compliance. The enhanced Voluntary Code of Conduct has been
made available to the public on request and any complaints about the observance
of this code should be sent to the marketing director fo CTC.